Biometric templates are used in biometric systems to identify a person and/or to verify a claimed identify of a person. A biometric template that identifies a given individual is a digital representation of one or more distinct physiological and/or behavioral characteristics of that person, based on biometric information extracted from one or more biometric samples. The biometric samples from which biometric information is extracted to form a biometric template may, for example, include biometric data such as a facial image of the individual, a recording of the individual's voice, an image of a fingerprint of the individual, and/or various other specific biometric identifiers.
The initial biometric sample or samples used to create an individual's biometric template may be captured the first time an individual uses the biometric system, and used as inputs to a process referred to as “enrollment” that generates an “enrolled template” for the individual. In subsequent, non-enrollment uses, the biometric system compares biometric information from one or more subsequently collected samples with biometric information stored in one or more of the enrolled templates. For example, a biometric system may operate to identify an individual by comparing biometric information from a subsequently collected biometric sample to some or all of the enrolled templates stored in a database of enrolled templates. In another example, the biometric system may verify a claimed identity of an individual, by comparing biometric information from a subsequently collected biometric sample to one or more enrolled templates associated with the claimed identity.